Best of Us
by Bipolar Tangerine
Summary: It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. The best things are gone again. Sequal to Best of You
1. Catching Up

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 1: Catching Up

A lot of things have happened in the past. It seems like yesterday that I was in pain. It seems just like yesterday that I was being abused and raped by my mother's boyfriend. Just yesterday, it feels like my brother was stripped from me and his life was taken away from me.

And it feels like forever ago that I was able to get help for it. Forever ago, I was able to smile again, and even speak like there was never a bad thing in my life. And I was able to move out of my club and move into my husband's home.

So much has happened in the past seven years. I'm in my early thirties. I just turned 33 a few weeks ago.

Anyway, things have been going great. The rennovations I wanted to make on my club were made. Most of them were paid for from the fundraiser that the clubbers donated to. I didn't have enough money to pay for a large hospital bill, and they raised the money, and extra.

My club is so successful now. Sango hasn't come back to work, and Miroku is getting paid almost forty dollars an hour. He and Sango have two children. Boys. Sango says that they can get to be a handful, but she loves them. She loves them enough to be a stay-at-home mom.

I'm a stay-at-home mom too, but not all the time. I go to the club on occassion to show people my daughter. Otherwise, I'm mainly living off of a fifth of the club's profits (we make a hell of a lot nowadays), and Inuaysha's money.

My daughter's name is Kaylee. Inuyasha thought of it. At the time when I managed to push her out, I was too tired to even think of names. Inuyasha came up with her name and I just agreed. That's all I could manage to do.

So, she's six. She just started in school recently. It's so lonely now that she goes to school and Inuyasha has towork during the day. So, I have to entertain myself. Most of the time, I look up recipes and practice them. I haven't been a good cook in the beginning, so I'm always willing to sharpen my skills.

I guess I could start going back to the club during the day. Just to mosey around and be friends with everyone again. Either that, or I can go visit Sango. I think I'll visit Sango today, just since she msut be getting lonely.

Lonely or pissed, I don't know. Those boys of hers are a handful. Having two kids is draininer her energy... Speaking of two kids, I'm on my way with the second. Inuyasha probably knows it by now, since he has that sense of smell. But, I haven't said anything yet.

I figured that, until I start gainin weight, nothing needs to be said. He'll try to stay home and care for me all day, and I don't want him ditching is patients. He ditched them in the beginning, when I was pregnant. Then he did it again when I let it slip that Kaylee was too hard for me to take care of.

Since I've been one of his patients, I know that it's horrible to skip out on them. Especially since he takes in the worst of the cases. Like my case, for example. People who are abused the way I was, or suffering as much as I was, those are the people he takes in. He takes in the people that other therapists quit on.

I think it's noble of him. Especially since some of his clients will turn out to be wonderful women. Most of them are women. The ones who are men, well... They just intimidate me. I guess I'm not used to the idea of men needing therapy. They always seem so tough on the outside. I think it's a facade, though.

So, I'll go visit Sango. I think I'll make her some desert so she'll have something to cheer her up. She's told me that, if the youngest boy weren't there all day, she'd be whining to get back into work. I won't let her, since I think that she shouldnt' have to worry about it. Besides, I've given Miroku plenty of money for his talents (and his talents are growing very fast). So, she doesn't need to be working.

I guess I just want her to have the perfect life. Since I can't have it anymore, she should. THat's probably a bad thing, and I'm sure Inuyasha will agree. It's not good to try to force your wishes on someone else. But, what if it's a good wish? Doesn't that make it any better?

Wait, I've seen this stuff on Dr. Phil, I think. The parents think it's okay, but it's not. They end up having to be on a talk show just because they didn't realize how much it tore their kids apart. Crap. I hope I'm not doing that to Sango. I hate the idea of forcing my happy endings on her.

But, she does deserve them. Even though I _wanted_ them, I didn't deserve them. I wasn't even good enough to stay a virgin for my husband. Even though Inuyasha constantly tells me that it's not my fault, it still tears me up inside. He'll never be able to understand that.

Giving someone something as special as your virginity... Well, it's only for those you love. I feel so horrible because I couldn't fight Naraku off of me when he took it. And now that he took it from me, Inuyasha will never be the one to have that connection with me.

Listen to me babble. I think hormones are already starting to outnumber my blood. It's hard for me to even notice when it happens. Luckily, I think I've caught it at just the right timing. I wouldn't want Sango to deal with me when I'm like this. Although, even though it's a pain (Inuyasha told me that), I think she'll understand. Well, I know she'll understand more than Inuyasha did.

After I had Kaylee, we were talking. He mentioned how, when I'm hormonal, that I'm annoying. Even though he loves me, he told me that he tried to keep from pushing any buttons, because he didn't want me to overreact. A romantic thing would have made me cry so much, he'd freak out.

Maybe I'm just over-hormonal. I think that having a girl in you, rather than a boy, makes it worse. Because then your body has to create their girly hormones too!

I shouldn't get involved with scientific things. That's not a good combination at all. Well, I guess I should be cooking for Sango. I should probably make sure she's home, too. Sometimes she leaves just to drive around. Scares Miroku and I half to death. I'm sure I'd be less frightened if I had more of a harness on my emotions.

So, what else has changed? I guess I should mention Naraku. As much as I don't like to think about him, I have to all the time. The doors are locked in something that is demon proof...

I guess I forgot to mention that I have powers. Sango defined them as priestess powers. Demons have some type of dark tint to their powers. Priestess powers have a light tint to them. I hope that makes sense.

Anyway, I have to set up priestess things to keep me safe. The doors, windows, _everything_ is locked up with these powers I have. I don't know how to control them, but Sango knows enuogh to help me with that...

Anyway, only human blood can touch them without being affected. Since Inuyasha is half demon, he feels a twinge of pain when he touches them, but not much. It's like that static feeling when you touch the carpet after rubbing your hand on something... I'm making no sense, I'm sure.

The static feeling I'm talking about, well... Whenever I get in or out of cars, I get shocked by it. I have to be careful now, since it's been happening so often. It's annoying, most of the time. I'd rather ride a bike than get in cars because of that.

What was I saying about Naraku? Oh yah, I remember! Even though I don't want to think about him, I should. Naraku wasn't charged for nearly raping me. He wasn't charged for beating and raping me in the past, either. He's running loose, and I'm scared. He hasn't come around for six years. That surprises me, since he seemed pretty set on me being his property.

I don't belong to anyone. My heart belongs to Inuyasha, and that's all he owns. I'm independant, despite what Naraku may think. I also have a loving half demon to protect me, so he has to be careful.

I found out that Inuyasha changes into a demon when you piss him off enough. He won't hurt me or Kaylee, but he'll protect us. If someone threatens us and he's already in a foul mood, he'll change. The only way for me to get him to change back is to fake crying.

I'm sure he knows I'm not crying, but he rushes over to my aid. Then he changes back as he tries to figure out what caused it.

That happened in the store, once. He was really upset over what he learned at work. So, he came with me to the store, and some guy whistled at me. Naturally, he would have glared and nothing more. It made him snap (I'm sure he was thinking abuot Naraku), and he almost killed the guy. That's when I faked crying.

All in all, I guess life is going pretty good. I get nervous about Naraku on some days, but not too often anymore. I guess that my fear is just a fabrication of my mind. I mean, he did do some horrible things to me, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to recover entirely... So, things in life are perfect for the time being!

I still can't help but feel like they won't be this way for long...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_This isn't what I intended to have happen. I didn't mean to make these mistakes and jepordize them. I didn't want to... This... This isn't what happy endings are made of. I've had my happy ending, and this isn't what is supposed to happen!_

* * *

**SailorInu1:** Yes, many more dark days are ahead. I'm good at creating dark days, it seems. Perhaps I should try to do a DIFFERENT type of fanfiction. Perhaps one with happiness? Hmm. That'll be hard to create. 

What did you think? I hope you all like this chapter. I was sick today, so I had a chance to type up the rest of it. It's funny that I'm even mentioning this. I'm not even done posting all of the **Best of You** chapters at the moment! Just shows you that the more you review, the faster you'll get things.

_**I think **10** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	2. More Catching Up

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**_I'm taking the last of my finals today. It's right before school, as I type this..._**

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 2: More Catching Up

All in all, I guess life is going pretty good. I get nervous about Naraku on some days, but not too often anymore. I guess that my fear is just a fabrication of my mind. I mean, he did do some horrible things to me, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to recover entirely... So, things in life are perfect for the time being!

I still can't help but feel like they won't be this way for long...

- - -

Crap. I have to go grocery shopping. I guess that means that I can't go to the club today. Maybe I can invite Sango to come with me. She probably won't mind walking around with me. I'm not waddling quite yet...

I pick up the phone and dial Sango's number. It's been a week since I brought her the fudge cake, and she's probably bored once again. Despite the fact that Hari, their youngest, is still around the house, she'll get bored. He's hardly even two. She dreads the day that both he and Hiro, their oldest, will both be in school. I don't blame her, since it does get lonely around the house while everyone is gone.

"Hello?" Sango asks. I can tell, just off of her voice, that she's juggling the phone and Hari.

"Hi, Sango. It's Kagome." I greet her. I can tell that she's happy to hear from me. It's something that can keep her busy that's above ten, I guess.

"Hi, Kagome! I'm so glad you called!" She says. I smile then sit down on the couch, contemplating how to ask her this.

"I have to go grocery shopping. Since I haven't seen you in around a week, I thought you'd like to join me. Hari can come too." I tell her. She gets quiet, and I can tell she must be contemplating the idea.

"Alright. I'll drive over there in a moment. Afterwards, can I hang out with you? I'm so bored here." She says. I smile, then I realize that she can't see it from where she is.

"Sure. I don't mind at all. At least it's company." I say. Sango hangs up the phone, before either of us can say goodbye. Gee, I feel really loved right now.

I sit down on the couch, contemplating my grocery list. Wait a minute. Rather than thinking about it, I should write it down. That will help much more, since my memory isn't too good recently.

_"Shopping List: 1-2 Dozen Eggs, Milk, Cheese, Bread (White and Rye), Miricle Whip,"_ I grimace as I put the last one on there. I can't stand that stuff. But, Inuyasha has suddenly grown really concerned about my health. I don't want to get him mad by buying the "fattening stuff."

_"Pickles, Cherries, Vanilla Ice Cream, Fudge..."_ If you think I'm in a sweet-tooth mood, then you're making a huge understatement. Since Inuyasha is always at work, I don't have anyone to treat me romantically. Sometimes my emotions get strong enough to make me cry over it. Most of the time, I just eat a gallon of ice cream and call it good.

The doorbell rings, and I jump up. My head crashes into the above cabinet and I hold it in pain. It's been six years and I still do this all the time. I must be an idiot of some kind.

"Come in!" I call. I don't think I'll be strait enough to walk to the door, let alone open it and walk back.

"Are you okay?" Sango asks me. I look to my side to see her, and Hari at her side. I sigh then shake my head with a pathetic smile.

"Yah... I just..." I slowly stop my sentence, trying to figure out what I was even going to say.

"Let me guess. The doorbell scared you, you jumped up. And, just becuase you've got bad luck with things, you bumped into the cabinet." She says. I nod my head stupidly as she shakes her head.

"I've got to hand it to you. If I were in your position, then I would have taken down anything taller than me. Everyone knows that when you're startled, you jump and bump into things." She says. I smile. THat has happened so many times with Inuyash'as chin.

"Yah, I know what you mean. Almost broke Inuyasha's chin once." I tell her. She giggles then fluffs Hari's hair.

"Well, ready to go?" She asks me.

"Yeah. I don't think I remember enough to add to my shopping list." I tell her. She giggles again then we get in my car. Nothing against Sango, but I'm terrified of her driving. You'd think that, having two children, she'd have started to slow down. No, she drives at seventy miles an hour in school zones. Since we have to take the freeway, I don't think that I want to risk it. I value life... Well, I value it on most days, at least.

So, we drive to the store. I don't know the name of the place. The letters on the outside wall have fallen down. Sango things that it's cheap. I just think that they don't have money to replace it since they keep their prices so low.

I sound like an advertisement. I guess that's another side effect of my hormonal stage. They don't tell you this when they warn you about pregnancy and emotions. They don't tell you that you get overly talkative and, most of the time, make no sense at all. I don't know how anyone could stand to be around me while I'm this confusing.

I walk around the inside of the store, searching for just the right aisles to where the items on my grocery list are. Sango is picking up a few things, and grabbed a small snack for Hari. I'm going to pay for it, but she doesn't know that yet.

"Hey, Kagome. I'm going to look for some cereal. We're out, and Hari changes his mind every week." Sango tells me. I nod my head the continue in search of just the right fudge topping for my sugar fest. Of course, the worst part is that I have to wait until I'm home just to have the sugar fest.

Inuyasha would get so mad at me if he knew that I was doing this. All the same, if I tell him about it, he'll take the day off of work to be with me. I want that to happen so bad, but I've been in his patients' shoes before. I know that some of them may be depending on him for life, or the ablility to talk. Even though his patients don't know it yet, they'll end up telling him what is causing them so much pain. Then things will be easier.

Thinking about it, I kind of wonder why you never realize this before. Why does it seem that there's no way to make the pain easier? Sure, we all know that it won't ever be gone, but we seem to think in black and white. It'll be there, or it won't. It won't just dull down in our eyes.

There goes my ranting again. I'd apologize, if I was telling anyone this information out loud. Since it's my own damn mind that I'm driving crazy, I guess it doesn't do any good. I know that I'll get over it when I get my mind to shut up. If my mind will ever shut up, that is.

"Hello, Kagome." A sickening voice greets me. My mind stops completely, and my stomach begins to tighten. I'm sure the baby, even though it's still devolping, is gagging or something. My hate for this person must pass down through genetics...

"What do you want?" I ask him bitterly. I want to get away, but showing my eagerness to leave will only make him... Well, I don't know if it'll make him happier or angrier. After all, I am his property. Leaving will piss him off. But, if he sees the fight in me, he'll get happy once again. He'll probably get happy in ways I don't even want to think of.

Damn. I started thinking of it again. And thinking of it is making me want to vomit. Good thing I had an easy breakfast, because if it was something else, I'm sure that I would be tasting it for a second time.

"I wanted to see you. I've missed you so much..." He pauses, and his face begins to twist in disgust. "What is that smell?" He finally asks me. He's a demon, so he must be able to smell my baby. Even though I'm hardly even three months along, it's smell-able. I guess that would also help to explain why Inuyasha's been getting concerned over my health again.

"Who's child?" He asks. His voice is sounding harsh, and I know that I'm in trouble if Sango doesn't return from the cereal aisle soon. The store is pretty empty when you're shopping mid-day, and on a work day. Stay-at-home moms are getting more and more rare. Those who are here seem to be business men of some sorts.

Doesn't help explain why Naraku is here.

"My husband's." I tell him. It's wiser not to give him a name to go off of.

"So, you're no longer Kagome Higurashi?" He questions sourly. I shake my head. I'm so tempted to tell him that he's right, and that it means I don't share a last name with him anymore. But, I know his temper very well. I don't want to ignite it. Especially after he's had six years of frustration with my absense.

"Your second. I can already tell, by your posture, that you've had one before. Probably a girl, since you'd stand different if it was a boy." He says. I swear, he could be a detective if he weren't such a bastard. I don't even notice that I stand differently, while he can take the difference that I'm oblivious to and get information off of me. Not just simple information. He already knows that I have another little girl.

"I can tell by the size of your breasts that she's probably six or seven." He adds. I don't know if I should be surprised or disgusted. I don't like him looking at any part of my body now, especially after what he's done to me. Nevertheless, I'm shocked that he can tell her age from that. I really need to get around more. Perhaps this is just a natural thing that demons know... Or I'm just that obvious. Am I?

"Yes, she's six." I tell him coldly.

"What's your last name now? I had to run after you off of your first name and therapy records." He tells me.

"Why are you here?" I ask finally. I don't want him being a bastard to me. I doubt he's here to shop, either. He's in the house-cleaning aisle. There's no way that he's going to clean his own house. Not in this lifetime, or the next. Woah. Too much thinking. Headache... Where's the asprin in this place?

"Just... Just catching up with you Kagome. I haven't seen you in ages, and I missed you." He says. The tone of his voice sounds devoid of anything wrong. I look at him, and notice he's looking right past me. Sango must've returned from the cereal grave.

Note to self: never take children to the cereal aisle. They go crazy over all the sugary crap there is, then taste it. After they've had one bite, they ignore the cereal until someone throws it away. It's usually the parents.

"Bump into someone, Kagome?" Sango asks me. Okay, the detective skills that Naraku pulled on me aren't common. Sango is oblivious to the tension that is filling me and the fear that I have clearly painted on my face. She's clueless, or she's just trying to act normal. I can't tell which.

"Yes. I'm Naraku. You are... ?" He's sounding so polite and formal.

"I'm Sango! I don't believe I met you..." She says. Yes, she's just oblivious to this entire thing. She's smart most of the time, but times like this I have to wonder where her brain is. No offense. I love her, but I wish she'd get the picture that he and I are NOT buddies.

"I moved away a while ago. I tried to track down Kagome, but I couldn't find her. She got married, and her last name changed." He says.

"She married her therapist, Inuaysha Taisho." Sango says. Damn, she is beyond clueless! I feel so pissed, but she doesn't know any better. I refused to tell her any of my history. Only Inuyasha and Miroku knew. Sango joined Miroku and my friendship much too late for me to trust her into telling her. Inuyasha is my therapist and husband, so it's only natural that he knows.

"That's what she told me... So, how long have you known her?" Naraku asks. He seems polite, if you're Sango. She's oblivous, not only to my tension, but to Naraku's creepy stares and his questions. He's pumping information from her. Inuyasha is going to get mentioned in this sooner or later, and then Naraku will bring him into the hell I'm about to be given... again.

"I've known her since she was... Since she was around 17, I guess. I met her because my husband and her were friends. I guess that's around 16 years." Sango willingly blurts. She needs to fake a heart attack or something. I'm desperate to get out of here. She won't get my urgency to leave, and Naraku will use it against me in the future. I can imagine him saying that I was in such a hurry, so he had to hide something that he was going to do to me. Ugh. I don't know what sickens me more. His acting or my way of knowing what's going to happen.

"Wow. I've known her since she was 13. That's 20 years, right?" He asks.

"Wow, you two go way back!" She comments. "Should I leave so you could catch up?" I know what Naraku's way of catching up will be, and I want none of it.

"Sango, I have to get home. I left something to cook in the oven and it's about to burn. Bye, Naraku!" I call cheerfully. As much as I want to kick his weapon he used on me so many times, I know I can't to anything. Not with an oblivious and ignorant Sango with me.

"He seemed nice." She comments as we get in the car. I give her a side glare, but she doesn't catch it. I think I found something else that Naraku manages to annoy me with. He can be so nice when he needs to be. That makes people trust him. Now I know how he even got close to my mother and caused her downfall.

He's sharpened up on his skills. He was planning something during these six years, and I know it's going to come back and bite me in the ass...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_Kaylee has gone missing. Inuyasha has stopped working until she's found. He comes home every night, looking beaten up and worn out. I offer to help, but he won't hear to it. Who cares what he says, I'm going to find our daughter!_

* * *

What did you think? I hope you all like this chapter. I was sick today, so I had a chance to type up the rest of it. It's funny that I'm even mentioning this. I'm not even done posting all of the **Best of You** chapters at the moment! Just shows you that the more you review, the faster you'll get things. Sorry if the chapters are short, though. I tried to stretch them out. I really did! 

**Kohara InuYashafan Takahashi**- I'm glad that you like this so far! I don't know how it makes you feel better, but if it does at all then that's good!

**mea14**- You like my stories? That's good to know. Personally, I think most of them are rotten. There are only a few that I'm proud of, but the rest seem to annoy me... Hey, speaking of being annoyed with stories, I'm going to create a new one pretty soon... As for how soon, I don't know...

**Sexy Kat**- Kat Colorado is from a book I read. You spell your name the same as she spells her. Sorry. First thing that came to my head. Heart of Pain will be put up later. I'm still working on the plot to it and I'm not happy with where it's gone... So, just gimme a bit more time, and I'll have it up. I promise!

_**I think **20** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	3. Pains

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 3: Pains

"He seemed nice." She comments as we get in the car. I give her a side glare, but she doesn't catch it. I think I found something else that Naraku manages to annoy me with. He can be so nice when he needs to be. That makes people trust him. Now I know how he even got close to my mother and caused her downfall.

He's sharpened up on his skills. He was planning something during these six years, and I know it's going to come back and bite me in the ass...

- - -

I'm picking Kaylee up from school again. She almost had to take the bus. I was having early contractions, and went to the doctor for a while. Thankfully, my body didn't push the baby out and I have time to pick her up. When I get there, her teacher comes out to me, and I roll down the window.

"Mrs. Taisho! Kaylee's not here. A friend of the family came to pick her up." She says. I stare for a while, wondering if I had forgotten.

"Did they say if it was planned?" I ask curiously. Perhaps I just forgot to look at my calender today.

"Not really. Said that they would meet you for ice cream. That you and Inuyasha were going to take her to a park or something. I can't remember." She tells me. I take a deep breath then let it out.

"Thank you." I tell her. I drive away, wishing I had my cell phone with me. Sango is really funny when she does this. Maybe it was Miroku this time. I doubt it. Sango usually picks Kaylee up and hangs out with her before she'll even inform me of thigns. Drives me crazy, but Sango loves Kaylee just as much as I do.

I drive home and park in the driveway. Inuyasha is home from work two hours early. I walk inside, only to find him on the couch. I don't have to be close to tell that he's stressing.

"What's wrong?" I ask as I sit down next to him. He doesn't know that I almost gave birth four months early.

"What's Naraku's last name?" He asks. I stare at him for a while as my heart slows it's pace. Inuyasha only asks questions if he has suspicions about the person. I doubt I want to know the answer but... What does he know that involved Naraku?

"Higurashi." I tell him quietly.

"A woman named Kagura... Kagura Higurashi called. She said there was an emergency at the school and that she needed to pick our daughter up. She needed permission, so I told her than she could pick Kaylee up. She had your maiden name, so I thought she was related to you. After a while, I realized that she couldn't be, since everyone in your family is dead." He says. I don't recognize the name Kagura, but Naraku still has my last name. Perhaps he has a daughter or wife to do his dirty work?

"Kaylee was picked up by a _family friend_ today... I assumed it was Sango. Now I'm thinking it's Naraku." I tell him quietly. I can feel the panic level rise in his body, and I hug him. I know it won't help much, but if it'll help at all, I'll do it.

"How did he find us? Your last name is changed, he didn't know my name... How'd he even know we have a daughter?" Inuyasha questions himself. I wish I didn't know the answers. It'd be a lot easier than trying to explain it to him.

"I... I met him in the store two months ago. Sango met him, and he started acting nice. She doesn't know about my past, so she didn't suspect anything. He was being really kind, and got information out of her causally... She told him that your name is Inuyasha Taisho, and he figured out that we have a daughter. He even figured out how old she was..." I stop myself before I tell him how. Inuyasha will get mad, and I'm afraid of him transforming. Even though he won't hurt me, it still scares me a lot.

"I'm afraid to ask this, but... How did he know Kaylee's age? Sango tell him that, too?" He asks. He must not be too happy with Sango, but he knows that she wasn't told. I never told her because, despite us feeling like sisters, I don't want to. It's easy for me to tell a guy who doesn't understand and will ignore the fact for a long time. She knows how bad it'd be, and she'd keep it in mind more than I want...

"Sango... She didn't say anything. Before she returned to my side, he got information off of my posture. I just told him that I was married, and he could smell my pregnancy... He figured off of my posture that I'd had another, and that it was a girl." I tell him.

"You dodged the question, Kagome." He points out. I cringe.

"I did?" I ask. I know that I did, and I intended to.

"You know it. Answer my question." He says slowly.

"What was the question again?" I ask. I'm just stalling time now, and I'm sure he knows it too. I don't want to tell him, if I can wiggle my way out of it.

"Damn it, Kagome! Answer my fucking question!" Inuyasha finally snaps at me. I jump away from him, not bumping my head into anything. Even better, I fall backwards, lose my balance on the arm of the couch, and hit the coffee table. It gives out under my weight, and the glass on it stabs into my back just as harshly as Inuyasha's tone.

I don't even cry or wince in pain. I just sit there in shock. Since I almost pushed the baby out early, I start to think that this might trigger another contraction. Thankfully, it doesn't, and my baby decides that it's not quite time to come out. Good thing it's agreeing with me right now.

My back begins to leak out small droplets of blood. The glass isn't in deep, so it's not too bad. Still, it's hurting. I'd move, but I know that there's glass under me. Inuyasha has probably transformed already, and he'll be oblivious to my pain. He's only worried about Kaylee right now, not me.

Inuyasha looks at me, his eyes blood red. I can tell, just by the look on his face, with what he's struggling with. He wants to go find Kaylee, but he sees me in pain. I'm sure he can even smell the blood that's making it's way out of my body. He's stuck between me, or the child.

"Go look for her. I'll be fine." I manage to say. That's a lie, though. I won't be fine. I want him to stay by my side and care for me while I'm in pain. I want him to tell me that we'll find her, but his demon side won't be so subtle about it. His demon side doesn't entire comprehend the fact that I'm human. It's good in some ways, but other times he'll brush me off without realizing the extremity of the situation. Or the pain. Right now, it's mainly the pain I wish he'd notice.

Inuyasha looked at me, and hesitated once more. Then my words meant more to him than my pain, and he darted out the door. I know for sure that he won't hurt Kaylee. I've started to understand why, even.

Inuyasha in his demon form is just him doing what he secretly wants to. Like hitting men for flirting with me. He would never dream of hurting any of his friends or family, so we're safe. I'm just afraid that he'll do things in front of Kaylee's eyes to scar her or scare her. I don't know if he'd be in the right state of mind to protect her eyes...

I slowly get up, feeling pain pushing through my back. My abdomen twists around in pain as I try to get to the phone. It's hard, and the holes that are in my butt are starting to bleed. I can feel it, and it's making me want to cry in pain. I won't. I'm stronger than that. I pick up the phone, and tell Sango my situation with the holes and my strengthening back pain. She tells me that she'll be right over, and that if the door is locked, she's going to come through the window. I try to laugh, but I can't.

Two weeks pass by so damn slow when you're worried about a child. Kaylee is still missing, and I can hardly eat. The only thing that is pulling me through is the fact that Inuyasha will have a meltdown if I lose it.

I sit on the couch and stare at the door. I can hear Inuyasha coming, and he's probably going to be tired again. Sure enough, Inuyasha comes in the door. He's tired, just like he's been for the past two weeks. He's got dark circles under his eyes, frazzled hair, and is slouching so much, it looks like his arms are about to touch the floor.

"Nothing?" I ask dully.

"Nothing..." He says, sounding as depressed as he's been since Kaylee vanished.

I get up and kiss his cheek.

"I'll be back. Just go sleep." I tell him. He's too tired to disagree with me, and I'm grateful for that. In fact, I'm pretty sure that he's too tired to even ask me what's on my mind and where I'm going. That will be my advantage right now.

He'll be upset at first, but this will help me with things. I just have to figure out who has her. This Kagura person, or Naraku. I would think that Kouga was involved, but he's not even around. There's no chance of him and Naraku getting along...

Wait... It's all piecing together now...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_This is my fault too. Inuyasha must be so upset at me for having done this, but I had reasons. Can't he understand that too? Well, while I heal from these wounds, I have to learn to cope with the fact that our daughter is gone._

* * *

Woah, dudes... No, I'm not a surfer chick. Anyway, back to what I was saying... I just had two thirds of a pint of ice cream (Ben and Jerry's Phish Food), and I'm shivering. I'm not on drugs, despite what it may look like to my dad (he's right next to me). Damnit. I'm soooooo freaking cold right now. I shoulda slowed down in the ice cream thing... 

Oh, by the way, I'm finished writing all the chapters. I just need the reviews to post 'em.

**mea14**- No one replies to you! How rude! I love to reply to my reviewers! Annd... The story I'm working on right now? Well, I wanted to write a story about my life, but it's too boring. So, instead of that, I am writing a story that's mainly about one of my "friends". I hate her, and she makes the perfect plot come to life... Anyway, it's about what has happened since I moved out of Palmdale and into Simi Valley. I think it'll be interesting... I hope. First chapter is done, but not posted. I like to get ahead of readers.

_**I think **30** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	4. Guilty

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**_The song lyrics in here, I can't tell you where they came from. The flying trapeze one (it's only four lines long), is a song that runs through someone's head in a book I read._**

**_The other lyrics (they're coming to take me away), are from an Anime Music Video I was watching for Inuyasha. It's hilarious, and they sing it in high-pitch chipmunk voices. I guess you'd have to hear it to understand why it's funny. It's from Doctor Demento, I think..._**

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 4: Guilty

He'll be upset at first, but this will help me with things. I just have to figure out who has her. This Kagura person, or Naraku. I would think that Kouga was involved, but he's not even around. There's no chance of him and Naraku getting along...

Wait... It's all piecing together now...

- - -

I drive to my old house. I hate the idea of having to come back to this place, but it's the only thing I can do until I get Kaylee back. I'm risking my life and my child's life. Inuyasha will understand. He'll be mad, but when I return in one piece, he'll be okay...

I walk up to the old house, feeling allm y insides protest. I don't want to confront Naraku. If I weren't pregnant, I'd let him take advantage of me just to get Kaylee back. But, pregnancy gives me a lot of disabilities.

My body tenses up and freezes instantly. The ranting isa big disability, especially right now. If my mind hadn't rambled on, then I'd have heard the footsteps behind me. I'd have been more aware of his body as he got closer. I'd have heard his deep breathing.

Now his his hand is over my mouth and my body is pressed up against his. I lick his hand, hoping it'll cause him to release it. No, he doesn't release it. In fact, he searches for revenge, and licks my cheek.

"Glad you came to see me, Kagome." He says sickeningly. He releases my mouth, just enough for me to breathe and talk.

"Can't say the same to you." I hiss at him. He chuckles, then begins to push me into the house. I know that Kaylee is around here somewhere. Even though I'm determined to leave here, I have to stay. I have to stand him long enough to get Kaylee.

"So, what causes you to come? Surely Inuyasha doesn't approve of you leaving." He says. He sits down on a couch and drinks a cup of something. He points to another cup, presumably for me. He must've known that I would come, or something like that.

I stare at the cub skeptically. I have a gut feeling that it's poisoned, or drugged, or something is wrong with it. But, if I don't drink it, then Naraku will get mad and won't help me with getting Kaylee. So, despite my worries about it, I pick up the cup and take a sip. It's Green Tea. Never though of Naraku as the type of man to drink it, though.

"Inuyasha doesn't know I'm here." I blurt. Suddenly I realize my mistake. He doesn't know I'm here, and that means that he won't know to come looking here. Naraku can kill me right now and Inuyasha will have no idea what's going to happen.

Naraku won't kill me, though. I'm his torture toy. He'll let me live, just to watch me suffer and use my body. It's worse than dying, but at least I'll be alive. If I'm alive, I have the hope that I can be with Inuyasha again. Even if I know that it's not a likely possibility.

"He doesn't? You snuck here to see me? How sweet." He says. Before I can even respond with a descent comeback, Naraku is in my face. He presses his lips against mine, and I nearly throw up in his mouth. Somehow, for some evil reason, my vomit manages to stay back in my throat. Damn. I wanted to piss him off by doing that!

"Well, I'd have some fun with you, but it seems that your pregnancy puts that idea out..." He muses. He looks at my thickening stomach, and runs a few claws over it. I shiver in fear that he'll slice it open, and he smiles. He must assume I like the touch, because he begins to rub my stomach with both of his hands. I don't know what he's planning. Both of us know that he can't stand the idea of me belonging to anotherman. Let alone having Inuyasha's child.

"Well, that's good. Because it'd be a problem if we were to do anything and Inuyasha smell it on me." I tell him rudely.

"Oh, I don't leave a scent. That's why no one can smell anything in Kaylee's room. I don't have a scent to leave behind for demons. I'm **untracable**." He says. I wish that I could say something about it, but I can't. There's nothing for me to say...

"Where's my daughter?" I ask. He looks around the house then shrugs.

"Kagura should know. She's the one who made the underground pathways. Your daughter is in one of the rooms." He says in my ear. I flinch then slap his face, my hand glowing pure white. He stumbles back and holds the burn that I've just placed on him.

"Bitch! How did you do that? You're not a demon and you have no super-powers!" He snaps. I look at my hand, before remembering exactly what Sango had told me.

"I have priestess powers. They're the opposite of demon powers, so they'll hurt you, but not humans or half demons." I tell him smugly. I watch in fear as he raises his hand, then I feel a twinge of pain as it lands on the side of my face. I know it should have hurt more, since he used his claws, but I can't feel it, since everything around me has gone black.

I feel like I'm swimming in a sea of black and blue. I can't see still, and I'm hardly even aware that I have a body. My stomach is twisting and turning, and I'm pretty sure I know why. It's probably from the few sips of tea I had. I knew it was poisoned, yet I risked my life and my babies life to get Kaylee back.

I guess I've been pretty stupid. I left Inuyasha without letting him know where I was. That's bad, since he won't know where to look if I don't return. He'll probably take it out on himself and stop eating. It'll kill him inside if he can't find Kaylee, and he loses his wife and his unborn child.

I shouldn't have been so reckless. I want to cry right now, to help my feelings get out of me. But, I can't. I don't even know where any of my body parts are right now.

I manage to open my eyes after what feels like hours. I'm not happy with what I'm seeing, either. I'm seeing Mickey Mouse on the walls, doing summer-saults. He turns and looks at me, then starts growing hair from his head.

Panicked, I try to get away. That's when I realize that my arms and legs are strapped down to something. I don't know what it is, and my body hurts to much for me to turn to the side and look. Soon enough, Naraku turns on the lights, and I look at him. He's right in front of me and...

He has purple hair. I'm not joking, Naraku's hair went from black to purple. He has chirping birds on his shoulder, and they're chirping the chorus to a song I barely even know. I'd be tempted to sing along, if I could figure out where my lips are...

_She flies through the air  
with the greatest of ease,  
That daring young woman  
on the flying trapeze. . . _

I don't even know the song, who sings it, or any other words. But that bird is chirping to the tune of those words. I want to laugh, since the words sound strange, but I still don't know where my mouth is.

Naraku laughs, and the words suddenly spew out of his mouth. He **looks** like he's laughing, but those stupid words are coming out. I manage to open my mouth, even though I still feel out of it.

"What's going on?" I try to ask. I don't even know if it came out right. My voice sounds like one of those chipmunk voices. Then more lyrics come to my mind as Naraku gets closer to me.

_Remember when you ran away  
And I got on my knees and  
Begged you not to go or else I'd go**beserk**  
WELL!_

I feel beserk right now, that's the truth...

_You left me anyway  
And the days got worse and worse  
And now, you see,I've completely lost my mind..._

_They're coming to take me away  
Ha ha__  
They're coming to take me away  
Ho ho, hee hee,ha ha_

_To the funny farm  
Where life is beautiful all the time  
And I'll be happy to see those nice young men  
In their clean, white coats  
They're coming to take me away!  
Ha ha!_

I've seriously got to wonder if I've been taken to the happy farm. Naraku is singing to me, and his hair has gone from purple to neon green. He starts growing flowers from his ears, then points to me. I can't even tell what he's trying to say anymore. Then he laughs, and all the music in my head comes to a halt.

"Seems that you're a clean girl, huh? This must be your first time with drugs." He says. I stare at him for a while as his hair starts turning into rainbow colors. It's red, then blue, then pink, then orange... I can't even name some of these colors that it's turning.

_You thought it was a joke  
And so you laughed  
You laughed  
When I had said that losing you  
Would make me flip my lid  
RIGHT?_

_You know you laughed  
I heard you laugh  
You laughed  
You laughed  
You laughed  
And laughed  
__And now I'm utterly mad_

_They're coming to take me away  
Ha ha  
They're coming to take me away  
Ho ho, hee hee, ha ha_

Damn it. I think he did drug me. The only question on my mind is what did he drug me with? I close my eyes to get these images out of my head, but it's no good. Mickey mouse is doing pushups, and Tarzan has started humping him. Bad images! Out of my head!

I open my eyes to escape the sight, and I look at Naraku again. His skin is purple, rather than his hair. He's smiling, and his teeth are orange. Baby-puke orange. Gross! I don't have the ability to gross out over it, since everything goes black again

After a few hours, I wake up again. I'm in the house, and it's daylight. It's bright, and the sun coming through the windows is hurting my eyes a hell of a lot.

Inuyasha must've left without realizing I was gone. I sit up, instantly falling back. I pull the phone up to my ear and call Sango. I can't lift my head anymore.

"Hello?" Sango greets half-heartedly. She's taken a bit depression from Kaylee's vanishing, too.

"Sango... Come to my... house... Hurry. I need your help." I tell her. I hang up before she can question me. I have to tell her what's going on so she'll know. She has earned the right to know long ago, and I think I should tell her now. I'lltell her now before things get much worse.

"Oh my God!" Sango exclaims. Sango is probably at the doorway, but I can't move my head to look. I don't know what's happened. The onlythink I can remember are those song lyrics... They're coming to take me away. Someone is coming after me, but I can't remember who. I think...

I think I knew last night, but I don't know for sure...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_This is my fault too. Inuyasha must be so upset at me for having done this, but I had reasons. Can't he understand that too? Well, while I heal from these wounds, I have to learn to cope with the fact that our daughter is gone. Not only with that, but the fact that Inuyasha now thinks I'm a horrible person..._

* * *

**Tirius(nsi)-** Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for saying that! I feel honored to be one of your favorite authors... But, in all honesty, I want to thank you a lot for the compliment. It brightened my day more than you can even imagine... 

**Superstitious-** Most of my sequals suck. I figured out why, too! A lot of sequals will focus on the kids and the main characters will be forgotten. This story and the one I might have next won't do that. I'll make sure they're interesting before I post them.

**Kohara InuYashafan Takahashi-** Oh shit. I just typed a long reply to you and then my luck struck. I pressed an unknown combination of keys at once, and then the thing closed down. Oh well. I should be used to it by now. Abotu the aliens! If you worship them a little more and give them more chocolate chip cookie sacrifices, the aliens may be nicer... They're always that way to me when I give them the right sacrifices...

_**I think** 40** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	5. Harsh Reality

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 5: Harsh Reality

"Oh my God!" Sango exclaims. Sango is probably at the doorway, but I can't move my head to look. I don't know what's happened. The onlythink I can remember are those song lyrics... They're coming to take me away. Someone is coming after me, but I can't remember who. I think...

I think I knew last night, but I don't know for sure...

- - -

"What happened to you?" Is the first question out of Sango's mouth. Now my head is starting to pound.

"What do I look like?" I ask her. She begins to help me up and helps me stand in front of a full-length mirror. I'm a wreck.

I'm in my bra and underwear, for starters. I have cuts along my legs, arms, face... I have cuts everywhere. There are claw-marks on my stomach. Probably from Naraku trying to hurt me... My eyes are hidden in dark purple circles, with green circles around the purple ones. I'm black and blue on my right cheek. Probably from Naraku hitting me and knocking me out...

My cuts aren't deep, but there are plenty of them. That's just as bad. I sit down on the bed softly, and examine my neck for reasons why I can't move it.

My entire neck is covered in bruises. Not a big bruise, but a lot of little ones are around my neck. I'm guessing that Naraku choked me repeatedly...

If Naraku got this close to killing me, he would have done it. What stopped him? I was too high to even get his hair color right. All I can remember is... Everything went black, and then I woke up with Mickey Mouse being humped by Tarzan. I shudder. That image still disturbs me.

"I... I need to tell you what happend from the beginning." I say to her carefully. Sango lies me down on the bed and goes to my bathroom. She returns with bandages, the ones you might see someone being wrapped in ona cartoon or something.

"When was the beginning?" She asks cautiously.

"When I was 13. When I met Naraku." I tell her. Her eyes widen at the sound of his name. I'm sure now she's realizing that he was NOT a friend of mine.

So, I tell her the story. I tell her how Naraku used me and that's why I quit talking. I tell her that he fooled my mother the same way he fooled her. That he acts nice around others, but my life is a living hell since I'm still alive. I tell her everything that Naraku had to do with.

Then I tell her about Kaylee. I tell her about my suspicion that Kaylee was taken by Naraku. I tell Sango everything about the night. Inuyasha came home so tired, that I snuck out in attempt to get Kaylee. I told her about the Green Tea that I drank, and how he must've put something in it.

I even told her about Tarzan and Mickey Mouse's affair. She cringed too. Now we both have that haunting image in our heads.

"You're lucky you're alive... I don't know how you even lived." She says. I look away from her grimly.

"I don't know either." I admit sadly. I wish that I knew what happened last night. I'd rather know and be devistated than not know and be curious.

"I think... I don't know for sure, but I think I know. Naraku can't touch you, since Inuyasha has marked you. Since he was violating you, Inuyasha's mark on you kicked in. It would hurt him whenever you'd start to cry in pain..." She says. That makes sense. If Miroku were to grab my ass and make me scream, he'd get his hand burned.

"So... Inuyasha's mark made him have to start over when he'd hurt me? Would that explain why he was trying to cut off my air supply?" I ask. I know that it's a stupid question. It's obvious that the only way to get me to stop screaming was to gag me. I would die too easily for him if I was gagged. I was high, and I wouldn't be able to breathe through my nose, I guess...

So, he tried to strange the voice out of me. Didn't work, I guess. I think that's when my priestess powers stepped in... But, I can't be too sure.

Sango leaves after a while, saying that she has to take Hari to the park. She tells me that she'll be back, but I'm hardly even in this world. I feel so dazed. Right as she's leaving, Inuyasha comes in the room. He's pissed, and he has every reason to be. I just wish he'd calm down. If he turns demon, I'm afraid that he'll attack me. He is mad enough with me to do it...

"What the hell happened to you!" He asks sharply. I wince at the tone of his voice. He's loud, but it's his anger that's hurting me. If he just leaves now, I'll be in enough pain to teach me to never do something like that again.

"I... Well, you can't get mad..." I say calmly. I feel like yelling at him, or crying, but I won't. I'm going to tough these actions out without my hormones kicking in. I can do that... Maybe I can't. It's easier said than done...

"Stop stalling. Tell me." He commands. I take a deep breath then decide that he might get even more pissed if I take up too much more of his time. Not like he has anywhere else to go. Or he does and he's just waiting for me to spill it before he does. Woah. I'm confusing myself.

"I went back to the shrine where I lived... I-I was going to see if Kaylee was there. Naraku would put her there, since it's one of the more obvious places." I pause as Inuyasha glares at me. He already knows what's going to happen, since I've figured out that Naraku is behind it.

"And?" He prompts me when I don't finish.

"Well... Naraku knew I was going to come. He gave me some tea--"

"Did you drink it?"

"Kagome!"

"Huh?"

"Answer me! Did you drink the tea!"

"Yes..." I squeak in reply. His face starts to twist in rage and turn red. Very red. I'm almost worried about him suffocating himself with that much red on his face.

"Tell me what happened." He slowly says. I can tell he's having problems with holding his anger in.

"Well, I drank the tea he gave me. Then we talked, and I pissed him off. He hit my face and it knocked me out..." I pause, just in case Inuyasha wants to blow up on me here. No, he's going to wait for the worst of it first.

"Then... I woke up and I was strapped to a table. I was... He put something in my drink and I was really high. I can remember all sorts of weird things happening... And then I blacked out and woke up in our bed like this." I tell him quietly. Then it strikes me. How could Naraku get me in here if I have the barriers on everything to keep demons out? More specifically, keep him out.

"He forced you to open the door. Made you turn the knob so he wouldn't have to touch it." Inuyasha answers. His mind must've been thinking on the same tracks at mine. I bury myself further into the blankets, as if I'll be able to hide from his rage. I know he's about to blow up.

"So, you _willingly_ went there?" He asks. I nod.

"Kagome! What the fuck is wrong with you! You could have killed yourself _and_ our baby! You knew that, didn't you?" He asks sharply.

"Yes." I reply sheepishly. The tears are beginning to form into my eyes right now.

"Then why'd you go!"

_Everything you say to me...  
Takes me one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break!_

"Because... I was worried about Kaylee." I say softly.

"She's one person. You're two people, Kagome! As much as I love her, you know that you have to keep the both of you alive! You didn't even tell me!" He roars. I'm sure the neighbors are about to call the police soon. It must sound like he's ready to beat me. I'm almost afraid he will. He's never even considered raising a hand to me before. Right now, I almost expect him to.

"I'm sorry..." I whisper. Tears begin to fall from my eyes, even though I really don't want them to. I don't want him to know how much he's hurting me, even though he needs to know.

"Sorry doesn't cut it, Kagome! Who knows! With that dose of drugs he gave you last night, the baby may not even survive!" He snaps. I look down at my stomach, and I can feel my stoamch turning. Why hadn't I thought of that before? Why hadn't I thought of that when I was hesitating on drinking the tea? Naraku would've been mad and hurt Kaylee, but it wouldn't have hurt two people if I didn't make that descision.

_I need a little room to breathe...  
Cause I'm one step closer to the edge  
And I'm about to break!_

"I am sorry..." I manage to say again. I don't know what else to say. I'm really sorry, but he doesn't seem to be taking those words to heart. Right now, I'm not so sure if he still has a heart. He'd never yelled at me like this before. Then again, I never risked two lives before. I've never done something as reckless as this.

"Stop it, Kagome! Sorry doesn't work! Sorry isn't telling the child when it's twelve why it won't be able to walk on it's own! Sorry doesn't cut it! Don't you understand that!" He asks me harshly. I cry harder and pull the blanket over my head.

_I'm about to..._

"What are you crying about!" He asks rudely.

"I feel like you hate me." I confess to him. This is the time where I'm hoping that he'll hug me and tell me that he just lost his temper. That he didn't mean to be as bad as he sounded. That he'll be so romantic...

"I do! You're the last person I feel like being around right now, Kagome! You know why? Because you make me worry so damn much!" He yells.

_BREAK!_

My heart has shattered so loud, Inuyaha can hear it. I stare at the ceiling, the full effect of his words drifting into my mind. I can barely hear him leave the house. He slams the door on his way, as if to emphasize that he's mad with me. I don't think that it helped any. I got the point already.

Inuyasha... He hates me right now. I've ruined his life by doing this. I could have ruined our child's life, for all I know. In four more months, I'll find out if the child is deformed. I'll find out if I've screwed up as bad as I've thought. I feel so horrible right now...

I should have known not to go. I should've been smarter. I'm married to one of the smartest men on this planet. So, why am I such a dimwit? Why am I so stupid? You'd think that, being around him, I'd get some smarts. Seems that I'm only getting dumber... I've really screwed things up.

Inuyasha will never forgive me. He'll never love me again. I've messed up too bad this time.

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_I've started writing in my diary again. That's all I'll be able to do while I try to ignore my worry for Inuyasha. He's started going to bars after the fight. I'm positive that he's trying to forget about me. While writing in my diary, some memories are surfacing. These are memories that I didn't even realize I had..._

* * *

**Kohara InuYashafan Takahashi-** Just for that, I'm putting the next chapter in. I can't imagine getting enoguh reviews for this story. Oh well. I'm feeling strangely generous... And here's some chocolate, so they can be happy!

**Tirius-** Well, I like replying to reviews. I review the same way that you do, so I guess I find it more friendly than annoying. Don't worry about the long review, because I like it. Makes me much happier if I can feel like I'm talking to my readers. And the drug scene... About that one...

I was reading another fanfiction than has a lot to do with drugs when I was supposed to be writing chapter four. I read about the person and all the things that they were seeing. I thought that, since I was going to have Naraku do SOMETHING to her, that it'd be more amusing that way. The Tarzan and Mickey mouse thing... I feel like explaining that too.

I was listening to an Amine Musiv Video about Tarzan and Jane for the Inuyasha series. It was funny... Anyway, at the same time I was thinking of something to do with Mickey Mouse because he's really good for hallucenations. That's what came ot mind... If anyone wants to see the AMV for Tarzan or any of the other lyrics that were in tehre, then just review and ask. I'll send you the links.

Damn. That was long.

_**I think** 50** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	6. More Secret Words

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 6: More Secret Words

I should have known not to go. I should've been smarter. I'm married to one of the smartest men on this planet. So, why am I such a dimwit? Why am I so stupid? You'd think that, being around him, I'd get some smarts. Seems that I'm only getting dumber... I've really screwed things up.

Inuyasha will never forgive me. He'll never love me again. I've messed up too bad this time.

- - -

I pick up my diary, and begin writing in it again. I've been doing this for the past five days. I have nothing else to do, since Inuyasha is hardly home. When he's not helping his clients - which have gotten very troubled since the fight - he's at bars. I don't know why he doesn't just divorce me. Or move out. Seems like it's the appropriate thing to do.

He's started drinking a lot at the bars. He comes back, drunk, then goes to work the next day. Since he's a half demon, he doesn't have the effects of a hangover. If he were a full demon, he wouldn't get drunk at all. Then, I wonder, how would he deal with all the crap going on in his life?

Perhaps that means that he would need therapy too. I've heard that people usually suffer in what their profession gives. Doctors have bad health, therapists are crazy, teachers are dumb... Well, most kids believe the last one pretty strongly.

I guess it doesn't matter. I'm stupid, and I can hardly even keep up my own club. Okay, I'll admit it. My club is doing exceptionally well and is getting great reviews from so many newspapers. It doesn't change the fact that there are more applications. When you hire new people, the entire staff shifts to accomidate them. The shift can ruin the comfortable feeling that our staff sets off.

I annoy myself with my babble. That's why I write it down...

( Open Diary Entry )

_Damn hormones. I am still thinking like crazy. You'd think that my mind would give me a break or something. Should be tired, but NO! It has to keep thinking and reminding me of what happened a few days ago!_

_I still feel horrible for doing that. I still feel so horrible for having gone to get Kaylee. My... My mother's instincts took over. I felt as if my life - even my unborn child's life - weren't as valuable as Kaylee's._

_There's another reason I left. It was for Inuyasha's happiness. I was aware that I may die. I thought that, if I could just give him Kaylee, then he'd be happy. I've seen those two together. He loves our daughter so much. He's a proud father and wants to be involved in her life. He..._

_Inuyasha gets really happy whenever he's with Kaylee. I wanted to make him happy, so I went. He looked so worn-down, I felt as if he'd die if I didn't try. So, I tried..._

_Now things are even worse. He goes to work, drinks until it's ten, then comes home to sleep. He's so drunk, he never notices me. I feel like everything is my fault. I know it's all my fault. I... I didn't reason with myself and I went. It was an impulse decision._

_I wish Inuaysha would forgive me already. I don't want him to hate me like this. It's torturing me inside. I can't handle it... This is the same kind of pain that has kept me from talking for almost half my life. I haven't talked since we got in the fight. I know whatever I say will only anger him more._

_The last think I want is for Inuyasha to be unhappy... I feel as if though everything revolves around his happiness. When he's happy, my heart feels like it's soaring. But, when he's upset like he is now, I feel as if I'm depressed._

_It's hard to believe that I managed to write myself wise words and I can't even hold to them now._

_"It's hard to imagine things going up when you're down, and it's hard to imagine things going down when you're up."_

_I wish that I'd take that to heart. I wish that the same part of me that wrote it and believed it would be back. I know in my mind it's true, but my heart doesn't think so. I still can't imagine things ever getting better. I can't imagine Inuyasha ever forgiving me or Kaylee ever being gone._

_Kaylee is suffering because of me. Because I let myself be happy, when I knew Naraku wasn't finished with me. I allowed myself to get pregnant, even though I knew that something was going to go wrong. I had the intuition that told me not to, but I ignored it. I thought nothing could get worse._

_After all. After someone comes out of a pit, don't they deserve to have the rest of their life as happy? I've read about it in all the books. Everyone has happy-ever-afters. Depressed people end up being happy and living great lives. But... What makes me so different that I can't be like them? Why do I have to suffer more, just to get my happy ending?_

_I don't get it. I don't think I ever will... I know that things will never get better. Inuyasha may, soon, go to a lawyer and say he's going to divorce me. Say that I cause him nothing but pain and more pain..._

_He knew what pain I carried when he read my diary. He should've known that I'd bring that kind of pain into our relationship. He should have know that I'm no good. I'm an outcast to everything... Even worse than him..._

( Close Diary Entry )

I close my diary and wipe a few tears from my eyes. I hate feeling this way. Perhaps it's the hormones. I don't know, though. Hormones make you feel like it's your real emotions. I feel like this emotion is real, not fake like the hormones give. But, hormones are real, and so are their over-reacting feelings they give.

I should really stop thinking about this. I'm just making it harder on myself. I'm sure that this much stress can hurt the baby. It did put me into pre-labor before. Scratch that. I don't know what caused those. But I _do_ know that stress can cause early birth. The last thing I want to do is that. It'll only piss Inuyasha off more.

_"Kagome... Tell me, why do you want friends?"_

_"I... I want someone to..." I didn't bother to finish. I knew that he'd only hurt me for it._

_"Come, Kagome... Let's show you something..." He said carefully. I followed, unaware of what was going to happen._

I jerk my head towards my door, my heart racing. What was that? I... I thought that I wasn't going to have flashbacks anymore. I wrote down my past, and I talked to Inuyasha about it. There's no reason for these memories to be coming back to me like this! No reason!

But... The memory wasn't familiar. I know most of my memories, because they're so common. This was new. This... I don't even remember Naraku saying that to me. How could I have been unaware of it?

I feel so stupid for not knowing my own past. It's not often that you remember your past, without realizing that you even forgot it. I shake my head, trying to get the memory to leave or come back. I can't decide which.

Naraku, I assume it was him, was trying to show me something. What was it? Why was I so scared of him at the time? First question I should get answered is, was it even Naraku? Could it have been Kouga? He was abusive and spoke in the creepy tone too...

I feel like I'm pushing against the very limits of my memory. Like I'm pushing against a brick wall in attempt to get more of these memories. Even though that memory struck fear into my heart, I want more. I want to know what happened. I want to know why I can't remember.

I think not remembering is more painful than being able to remember and hiding from it. I shrug the memory off long enough to get out of my bed and get myself some lunch. I pull out the stuff for a sandwich, making it without really caring. Almost in an automatic kind of way, I guess. I slide the mustard on the slice of bread.

_Bloody. A bloody body, with no skin left. You could see so much muscle, bone, even their heart's faint beating. It was so nauseating. The man laughed as he gripped my shoulders. He was the one to do it, and he took pride in knowing that. I stared with widened eyes as this person's body seemed to speak to me._

_All I could think of was their life. They were innocent, naive to what they're knowledge would bring them. Then, they began to be tortured. They were cut up. While they were healing from that, they were burned. Pain began to rush through my body as if I was burning too._

I drop the butter knife on the floor and begin struggling to breathe. That same sensation is washing over me, and I feel like I'm on fire. The baby inside of me moves, and I'm guessing that it's uncomfortable with my body's temperature. I gasp for air and head to the sink in attempt to wash down the hallucenation.

While I'm drinking the water, I feel like my skin is peeilng away. I cry out in agony as I go to the shower. I turn on a cold shower then stand in it, completely clothed, as I get my body to cool down.

I don't know what happened. There are memories that, even though I'm curious, should not be revealed. Just remembering the sensation of burning from my past caused it to come back. I'm not sure if it would have killed me or not. I felt as if my skin really was peeling away and I was going to die. Perhaps it was just a fabrication of my mind.

Curiousity killed the cat. I feel like the cat right now. I'm walking down a dark alley...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_I can't take it anymore. I have to do something to find Kaylee. Inuyasha is too drunk to notice me gone. In the morning, he'll be in too much of a hurry. Then he's off to the bar again. I can get away without him knowing. I'm going to do this, without him aware of what's going on. It's the only way for me to fix what I've screwed up..._

* * *

Just made the story go from fifteen chapters to twelve chapters. Two were unnecessary (I revealed too much already for them to be of any use), and one was just... stupid. It was perhaps the size of a third of my chapters, if I were to create it. So, you're all stuck with three less chapters, but much more suspense! 

_**I think** 60** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	7. Dangled

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 7: Dangled

I don't know what happened. There are memories , even though I'm curious, should not be revealed. Just remembering the sensation of burning from my past caused it to come back. I'm not sure if it would have killed me or not. I felt as if my skin really was peeling away and I was going to die. Perhaps it was just a fabrication of my mind.

Curiousity killed the cat. I feel like the cat right now. I'm walking down a dark alley...

- - -

I walk to the couch, talking to Inuyasha calmly. He's telling me what he learned of Kaylee's disappearance. Kidnapping is more of a suitable word, though.

"There's no scent. My bastard brother can't even pick up a scent. That means it has to be Naraku. He's the only one with the ability to mask his scents, according to you." He tells me. I nod my head, but my mind isn't on our conversation.

I'm starting to wonder if this mystery man from my new memories has anything to do with it. He was cold-hearted, so there's no doubt in my mind that he'd attack Kaylee. Kouga would spare her and go strait for me. He was ruthless... If only I knew his name. I'm getting tired of calling him the mystery man.

Still. I'm beginning to wonder if Naraku even does have her. He's been surprised-looking when I mention my daughter. Makes me think that he might actually be clueless. Then again, seeing how easily he fooled Sango, I think I could just be wrong. He asked about Kaylee, and talked to Inuyasha about her. Then, after he found out about her and Inuyasha, she went missing.

Suspicions aren't always true, though. Even though I may think that he's to blame, there's a slight chance that he is innocent. Inuyasha is still convinced it's him. He doesn't know about my new memories. I'd rather it stay that way. I don't want him to worry any more than he has to. Besides, I think he's pretty stressed as it is.

"What's on your mind, Kagome? You're distracted." Inuyasha says. I look at him, wishing for once that he wouldn't be able to read my mind so well. I don't want to tell him that I'm thinking it could be someone else. He'll ask why, and i'll haev to tell him about the new memories I'm getting.

"Can I go out to see if I can get Kaylee?" I suddenly ask. I'm not sure who's more surprised; me or him. I don't want to go get Kaylee, since I have no interest in seeing Naraku again. I know he doesn't want me toget her, just off of how he reacted the first time I went.

"Just... Be careful and know that I love you. I want you to live." He tells me. I'm shocked even more now. He is agreeing with my sporadic decision to get out daughter back. I don't know why he agreed, though. He has every reason to say no. I hug him tightly, feeling the full weight of my words land on me.

"In 45 minutes, come after me. I don't want to feel like you're never going to come." I tell him. He nods his head then kisses my lips.

"I love you, Kagome." He says. I nod my head then leave.

I don't know why I decided that this would be a good thing to do. I got drugged off fo the first time I went to get Kaylee. Naraku is stubborn. He'll kill her, if that's what it'll take for me to submit...

I now understand why he's trying to prove his dominance over me. Naraku is worried because I'm rising up against him. I'm getting stronger, and I'm learning the abilities of my powers. Okay, so I don't know how to use them most of the time, but I know they exist. He knew that I'd get rebellious and sick of playing along. So, he decided that he'd have to teach me the rules again.

If he hadn't taken Kaylee, I would still be submissive to him. But, he did the one thing that could have made me even consider fighting back. He messed with my daughter. He took away my child, and I will see to it that he will regret it. Even if it means that his toy (me) dies, I'll make sure he regrets touching Kaylee.

Never spark a mother's wrath. It'll be the worst thing that you can even imagine. A mother's wrath is worse than a PMSing mother. That's saying something.

I walk towards the shrine. There's only one car, and I'm going to let Inuyasha use it. He'll probably be in a hurry to follow along with me. I'm not in a hurry to get there. I have no interest in getting there right now. But, I asked Inuyasha to go, and he said yes. I should go...

I shouldn't have asked to go. I should have just told Inuyasha that I had more memories of another bad person. That I knew someone else was just as bad as Naraku - or worse - and that they might have Kaylee. I should've just told him that, other than blurting the wrong question out.

I still wish I hadn't asked that damn question. There's no point in fussing over it anymore. I'm at the bottom of my old home's steps, and this place is creeping the hell out of me. It's dark, the trees are sinister-looking, and Naraku is somewhere in that house. With my daughter.

I can imagine his creepy grin as he threatens my daughter. She'll either cry, or think he wants to play. She can be very niave. That's one of my favorite things about children. They don't know what's going on in the world. They're so happy, since they don't know why there are things to be sad about.

I walk into the house, and I can tell that Naraku is here. After a while, I decide that I know where Kaylee is. I walk to my mother's old bedroom, and find a staircase. Great. Stairs. I'm so happy. Not.

After being sarcastic, I begin my descent. I don't like stairs, nor do I like the idea that this is the only way down _and _up. If Naraku wants to, he can just break the stairs and we're both trapped. Sure, Naraku can get out. He has demons that are ready to be summoned or created by him. What do I have? A growing belly that will, eventually, pop.

"Nice of you to come, Kagome. I didn't think you'd actually come here. I know it scares you. You've got courage for coming... Or you felt lust for me like I feel for you." He says. I glare at him before looking around. This is what you'd imagine a typical dungeon to be like. Underground, horrible, the works.

"Where's Kaylee?" I ask immediately. He sighs then turns to the one wall that's darkest.

"Kaylee is such a complainer. Haven't you taught her that she shouldn't be upset just because she's hungry?" He asks. The wall rotates, just like a horror movie, then I see Kaylee there. She's crying.

"Mommy! I'm hungry and I want to go home!" She immediately complains. I step forward to touch her, but Naraku slaps my face with the force that sends me backwards. I wince in pain when the stone wall helps me stop, and I look up again.

I gasp in shock as Naraku does something that I didn't expect. I knew he was heartless, but this isn't what I thought he'd do. I assumed that things would end up being okay. That Naraku would get over his new power trip and just leave us alone. That's my optimistic side talking to me.

Further down, I knew that he'd do this...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_Kaylee... I can't even begin to describe the remose that's filling me right now. I wasn't able to help her, and that kills me inside. Inuyasha is devistated too. Now, we have to deal with this pain together, while he makes Naraku pay for what he's done. What will I do? I feel like everything is my fault. I knew Naraku wasn't dead, so I should've kept myself from being happy until he was..._

* * *

Just went from twelve chapters to ten chapters. I got rid of three then added another. I think this series might be around three stories long. Then Kagome can live a happy life like she wants to... I shouldn't speak so much about it, huh? 

Sorry that this chapter is so short. I am working on my real-life story and it's more interesting than this. Anyway, I got a lot of reviews about how mean Inuyasha is. Get over it. Inuyasha is protective of Kagome and she did something he thinks she shouldn't have done. He just didn't know how to react.

Can you tell I'm pissy today? I've been ready to tackle and strangle someone all day. Sorry that you readers have to take the heat. I should really try to calm down...

_**I think** 70** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	8. Devistation

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 8: Devistation

I gasp in shock as Naraku does something that I didn't expect. I knew he was heartless, but this isn't what I thought he'd do. I assumed that things would end up being okay. That Naraku would get over his new power trip and just leave us alone. That's my optimistic side talking to me.

Further down, I knew that he'd do this...

- - -

My stomach turns as I reply these things in my mind. He... Naraku has just done the one thing I hoped he wouldn't do.

"Kaylee!" I instantly scream out. Naraku laughs as I find the energy and run to her lifeless body. I shake her shoulders, hoping that she's just knocked out.

"Kaylee!" I cry out again. Her body is limp in my arms and I can't handle it. She's staring at me with pleading eyes, but I can't help her. There's blood leaking out of the back of her head. Lots of it, too. I hug my dead child tightly, and start crying once again.

"Naraku! You're a bastard to bring children into this!" I snap at him.

"You're the one who brought them in. You knew I'd come back for you, but you let yourself have them anyway." He says carelessly. I stand up on my wobbly legs then aim to hit him. Naraku catches my hand as a grin appears on his face.

"Not so fast, Kagome. Remember, you're mine." He lies to me. I raise my knee strait into his groin then smack his face with my other hand. A small white light flashes as my hand comes in contact with his face. I watch as he stumbles away, clutching the burn on his face.

"Where'd you get this fight in you?" He asks.

"You ignited it when you decided to kill my daughter. When you tortured my family, you gave me the fighting spirit." I hiss at him. Naraku raises a hand to hit me, and I close my eyes. After a few seconds, I open them again. Inuyasha is fighting off Naraku, growling at some things that Naraku is telling him.

"Kagome. Get Kaylee and leave!" He says. My heart feels like it's breaking all over against I look at our dead daughter.

"Kaylee..." I trail off. There's got to be a way to put this into the right words.

"What about her? She's unconscious, so we'll take her to the hospital!" He snaps. I can tell he wants to get us to safety, but I can't stand to carry my guilt up the stairs with me.

"Kaylee's dead, Inuyasha." Naraku tells him. I start crying all over again as I sit next to her body. I hug it close, wishing that it could magically come to life and she'd say sorry for worrying me. She'd say that she was just playing and didn't mean to scare me. But, I know it'll never happen. That's what hurts me the most.

Inuyasha looks back at me. I give him time to reailze that there's blood coming out of her head from a deep cut. Several deep cuts, actually. My lap is coated in Kaylee's blood, but I could care less right now. I just want her to be alive. I look at Inuyasha, knowing that I'm crying and looking pathetic.

"Naraku, you're a bastard! If you hadn't even involved kids, then you'd have lived!" Inuyasha roars. I watch as Inuyasha and Naraku throw punches and scratch each other.

A tentacle comes from Naraku's arm and goes strait to Inuyasha's heart. I smile faintly when Inuyasha manages to dodge it. He has to live, because he's the only one who can give me any happiness now. If Inuyasha dies... I don't even want to think of what I might do while I grieve.

Inuyasha raises his hand and attacks Naraku. I've seen him fight with his 'attacks' before, but this is the first time he's had to use them. He beats up punching dummies in the backyard so he can keep in shape and protect his family if he needs to. This is the first time that I've seen him use it. I feel proud, but worried at the same time. I guess a part of me thinks that Naraku will live again if Inuyasha kills him.

"Kagome, where'd the burn on his face come from?" Inuyasha asks me. I struggle to remember then I look down at Kaylee.

"I hit him and my priestess powers came out." I tell him slowly. I squint to see him through the purple smoke that's suddenly filled the room. Naraku is bleeding, I think But, I can't tell too much right now.

"Kagome, get out of here!" Inuyasha tells me. I close my eyes, as if it'll help my legs move towards the stairs. It's no use, since they're still limp and stubborn. I look at Inuyasha as he keeps fighting Naraku.

Naraku's tentacle that sprouted from his left arm goes towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha dodges it, but his shoulders gets hit. The black dress shirt that he's wearing starts to become soaked in blood as he slows down. The wound will put his right arm out of the fight. Inuyasha is right-handed. That's not a good sign.

Naraku laughs as Inuyasha realizes his dilemma. Inuyasha rests his left hand over his right shoulder then smirks.

"What is there to smile about, Inuyasha?" Naraku asks. I can tell that he's getting nervous by the edge in his voice. He's scared of Inuyasha being able to fight still. He's afraid that Inuyasha is stronger than him. He should be scared, because Inuyasha is going to get mad when it hits his thick head that our daughter is dead.

It hasn't even sunk into me quite yet. I still feel like this isn't the real Kaylee. Like there's a chance that she's still alive. My brain knows that she's gone forever, but my heart won't accept it.

Inuyasha lifts his blood-covered hand then shrugs his one shoulder.

"I'm about to kick your ass." He says. He uses his blood to form an attack, I think it's something like blades of blood. I don't know for sure, though. I never pay attention to the names that he gives his attacks. It doesn't interest me too much most of the time.

Surprisingly enough, Naraku doesn't block the attack. He lets it hit him, and then gasps. He probably didn't realize that it was that strong, or he expected a bunch of blood to come at him. Something surprised him about Inuyasha's attack. The attack hits his arm, but Naraku hardly seems to care. He looks at me, then his tentacle picks me up.

I feel my feet leave the ground as I look at Inuyasha. He's worried, and I know that he wants to help. Naraku begins to squeeze me tightly, as if he could squeeze the life right out of me. I take slow breaths to help keep me alive, then Naraku's grasp leaves me. The tentacle throws me against a wall, and I feel pain spread through my entire body. Mainly through my head and neck. I feel like my back and neck have snapped in two pieces.

I watch through half-closed eyes as Inuyasha growls louder at Naraku. I don't feel like I can stay awake, but I have to. I have to know what's going on. So, despite the pain ringing through my body, I sit myself up. I lean against the wall still as I watch things. Pain seems to blend together with exhaustion, but I manage to fight both off.

Inuyasha attacks Naraku with his left arm skillfully. I can sense that he's no longer a half-demon. Inuyasha is now a full demon, and Naraku knows it. Inuyasha slashes at Naraku , and Naraku's entire tentacle falls off. Naraku looks so pissed off and is trying to land another hit on Inuyasha.

Inuyasha growls then jumps up in front of Naraku. He slashes, then lands on the ground. After a few seconds, Naraku's body goes limp. His head rolls off his body, and I feel my stomach turn. Soon, I can't see Inuyasha through the purple smoke. It got a lot stonger when he killed Naraku...

I wake up with a jolt. Just as fast as my body jerks, pain floods into me. I groan then open my eyes. This is better than my last trip to the hospital. That time, I couldn't even open my eyes.

The room is very dim, so I assume it's night. I can't be too sure, though. It's hard to tell when they've locked you in a room without windows. I attempt to sit up, but my back's protesting stops me. I sigh then lie down once again. I wish someone were here to entertain me.

As if I had asked out loud, the door opens. Rather than it being a nurse or doctor, it's Inuyasha. He sees me awake then smiles. There's a chair by my bed, and I notice that the cushion is already well-worn. How long have I been in here?

"You're awake." He points out the obvious.

"Seems that way." I manage to whisper. My throat begins to burn me and I clench my teeth. That doesn't do anything for the pain, though. Inuyasha gives me some water, and helps me drink it. Through a child straw, even. You know, the kind that bend so he can give me water without me becoming soaked.

"What happened?" I ask quietly. I know that my voice is inaudable, but Inuyasha's hearing will pick it up.

"Well... I found out later than when Naraku bleeds, he lets off a poison. So, when I cut him a few times, the poison got stronger. Then, when I finished him off, the poison got too strong for you." He says. I nod my head slightly then pull the thin blankets over me even more.

"How... are you able to remember this?" I ask him quietly. Naturally, he can't remember anything when he turns into a full demon.

"I turned into a full demon by choice. I knew that if I didn't, he'd hurt you even more. I turned into a full demon just for a short time, only to get him gone and save you." Inuyasha tells me. I hold up my weak arms and he leans towards me. I hug him tightly, and cry into his shoulder.

"Thank you so much, Inuyasha." I tell him.

"You don't have to thank me. You knew that I'd protect you." He says.

"I knew, but a part of me was afraid you wouldn't be able to." I tell him honestly.

"That's why I changed... Oh, the doctor is coming back with a test. You got a lot of poison in your system. There's a fifty-fifty chance that the child won't make it." He says. I look at my large stomach then sigh.

"I don't think it will. I think that if I was badly poisoned, the baby got an unhealthy serving of it too." I tell him sadly.

"When you're better, we're going to have Kaylee's funeral." He tells me.

"How long... How long have I been out of it?" I ask him hesitantly. I'm not sure if I want to hear the answer to this, but I know it's important.

"Nine days. Feels like fifty days when I'm waiting for you to wake up, though." He tells me. I nod my head then sigh.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha." I whisper.

"For what?" He sounds shocked that I'm even apologizing.

"I let myself have kids when I knew Naraku wasn't done with me. I knew that he'd come back after me, but... I didn't think he'd involve Kaylee." I reply. Tears are now rolling down my cheeks as I try to hide them. Inuyasha uses his thumb to brush the tears away then kisses my forehead.

"Don't be sorry... You didn't think that Kaylee would be put in danger..." He says.He hugs me again then turns to look at the doctor.

"The baby... The baby won't make it. I'm sorry." He says.

"What are you going to do about it?" Inuyasha asks harshly. He doesn't like the news, but I think he feels upset that they might leave the dead thing in me.

"We'll force her into pregnancy. If that doesn't work, we'll try a c-section." He says. I nod my head then the doctor leaves.

"You do realize, Kagome, that everytime someone tries to threaten you that you end up in the hospital?" Inuyasha asks.

"Yeah... Reminds me of the movies or something..." I whisper in reply. I close my eyes and try to calm my racing mind.

I don't know why things seem to always go wrong for me. I guess I'm a magnet for bad luck. There seems to be no happiness for me. Even though Naraku is dead and Kouga can't find me, there's always something ready to go wrong. At least that's the case for me. There's no permanent good for me...

Happiness is just a fabrication of my mind. I think I'm happy, but that's just a trick until the bad times start coming again.

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_Happy endings are a fabrication of the mind. So, Inuyasha and I lost the second thing we cared about in our lives. I can hardly handle it. If it weren't for Inuyasha being a therapist, then I don't know what would happen to me. It's time to start over, and this time I won't pretend that we'll get a happy ending... Maybe things will be different this time. Maybe... We can have one child before it's too late..._

* * *

Just went from twelve chapters to ten chapters. I got rid of three then added another. I think this series might be around three stories long. Then Kagome can live a happy life like she wants to... I shouldn't speak so much about it, huh? 

_**I think** 80** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	9. Starting Over

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 9: Starting Over

I don't know why things seem to always go wrong for me. I guess I'm a magnet for bad luck. There seems to be no happiness for me. Even though Naraku is dead and Kouga can't find me, there's always something ready to go wrong. At least that's the case for me. There's no permanent good for me...

Happiness is just a fabrication of my mind. I think I'm happy, but that's just a trick until the bad times start coming again.

- - -

Kaylee's funeraly was a killer. Perhaps that's an insensitive way to put it. I felt horrible at her funeral. The entire time she was being talked about and buried, I couldn't pay attention. I could only think of how horrible of a mother I am. I'm not just a bad mother, but I'm a bad person.

I couldn't save mom from Naraku. I couldn't find the courage to tell her of what he was doing to us. Then she got into drugs and became unaware of my brother and I. Then I couldn't protect Souta from Naraku. Even when I had the chance to stop Naraku before things got worse, I just stared. I couldn't do anything.

And now my daughter is dead because I couldn't pull my mind together in time. I couldn't get over her being gone and I couldn't pull myself together to get it sooner. Now, not only am I suffering from her loss, but everyone at the funeral suffered too.

Inuyasha cried and almost couldn't finish talking about her. Sango, Miroku, and their sons were there too. Her oldest, I forget his name, kept asking her what they were saying about Kaylee. He didn't understand that Kaylee was dead. He didn't understand it when they lowered the coffin into the ground and buried it.

That tore me up. He and Kaylee were very close friends. Now, he'll never see her again. That's my fault. I can't believe that I let everyone down. Sango was so upset, she was crying too. Miroku could hardly even comfort her, since he was on the verge of tears. People that have never cried before were crying.

Sesshoumaru attended, because Rin made me. He claimed that he didn't care, but I think he did. Rin was crying, and had a four-year-old in her arms. When she got pregnant, we had all these crazy ideas about how her child and mine would be best friends. It devistated her to realize that the child she was so fond of was gone.

I think that it hurts me more since everyone loved Kaylee. She would smile, and she was optimistic. When I'd cry over Inuyasha being gone, Kaylee would come in with a coloring book and ask me to color with her. She was so innocent, and the idea of this happening to her is tearing everyone apart.

I cried over the baby being gone. It was so soon that I would have given birth to it and I'd have had another blessing in my life. No. I ignored Inuyasha's orders to leave, and I poisoned the child. To think that I was worried about deforming the baby. I killed the baby...

I curl up in the bed, trying to escape from reality. I don't like what I've done. I can't believe that I screwed things up so badly. It's a wonder that Inuyasha doesn't divorce me or yell at me. He's been... He's been very gentle with me. He cares for me and cooks me dinner. He tries to tell me that things aren't my fault, but I can't believe him. I just cry when he says that.

_"See this, Kagome? Can you see this dead woman? I will make sure that you become just like her if you ever rebel against me." He said. I looked up at him, too innocent to understand how venomous his threat was._

_"I don't get it." I plainly told him._

_"If you ever try to leave me, I will hurt you. I will make you suffer so badly, you won't even be able to look at me without wincing!" He snapped. I hardly understood the words that he said, but I straitened up and nodded._

_"I'll never rebel, sir." I tell him respectfully. He smiled then turned his attention back to the body in front of us. Charred. It reminded me of something I would cook when mom was high. That's what it was._

_If you paid enough attention, the woman would cry out to you. Perhaps it was just me, but I could hear her crying. I could hear her calling out for mercy as the man poured lighter fluid all over her. I could hear her scream in pain and agony as the match was pressed against her. I could feel the suffering that came when she realized that she'd been tricked. That the man who promised her love, wasn't in love with her at all. He loved how she might look when he set her on fire._

I still feel like I can hear her scream. Since these memories have started coming back, I've been having nightmares. I'll wake up in a cold sweat and out of breath. My heart will beat so fast I won't know if I just ran a million miles or not. Most of the time, Inuyasha doesn't wake up when I get out of bed to shower the sweat off. When he does, I have to find a way to keep from telling him what causes this.

He still doesn't know that I go through this, you know. He doesn't understand that there's something else on my mind. When I get enough memories, I'm going to write it down. Then I'm going to tell someone about it. Word of my new nightmares will get to him fast and he can look for himself. I don't have the courage to tell him face-to-face.

Right now, I'm drying off. It's two in the morning, and I managed to slip out of the bed without Inuyasha waking up. The dreams are getting worse, and I don't know how I'll be able to sleep. A lot of the times, I don't wake up because of the nightmare. I wake up because I feel as if I'm burning myself. I think that is what could be making me sweat.

Then again, I'm never too smart in that category. I open up the door, the towel wrapped around my body. I jump and nearly scream as I see Inuyasha standing there. He picks me up then takes me to the couch. I don't know why he's so awake right now, but he seems to not notice how early it is.

"What are you doing up?" I ask him as I lean against his chest.

"I could ask you the same." He points out. Damn it. Sometimes, I wish Inuyasha were just a little dumber.

"Tell me and I'll tell you." I offer. He thinks it over then nods his head.

"I wanted to talk to you." He tells me plainly.

"Hey! That's not a real reason!" I say in defence.

"Fine. I had to use the bathroom and someone was taking a shower. That caught my attention so I waited for you to get out and thought about something to talk about during. You shower a long time." He tells me.

"You do too." I tell him.

"How so?" He asks.

"Becuase you have more hair than I do." I say smartly. He sighs then shakes his head.

"Why were you in the shower?" He asks me.

"I had a nightmare about death and woke up in a cold sweat. I don't like being sweaty, so I had to shower." I tell him. Okay, so I did have a nightmare about death, but that's not the whole story. I don't want to reveal the whole story right now. Mainly because I don't have it.

"Ah... So, can you stay awake long enough to talk to?" He asks me.

"Can you make me some of the Chai Tea you started buying?" I ask. He chuckles and then gets up and starts to boil the water. I sit up and lookat him. Since he's making the tea, I'll stay awake.

"I was thinking... About a family. We both wanted one, but Naraku ended up destroying it." He pauses for a while, in case I burst into tears I guess. I nod my head and hold back my remorse and my gulit over the thought.

"Go on." I whisper, more to myself than him.

"Well... Would you be willing on trying once more? Too much longer and we may not be able to have a family." He says. I can tell that he's really missing having a child around. I miss it too, honestly.

"I'd love to start the family over again..." I tell him quietly. He smiles then hugs me tightly.

Perhaps there is such a thing as happiness. It won't come to you naturally, like many people believe. You have to work at it. Many people work at it without knowing it, and they're happy. Some people don't realize that it's something to be earned, and never get it. Then there are the few people who don't even know how to work on becomming happy.

I think that I'm no longer in that group...

* * *

Next time on **Best of Us**...  
_I remember it now. I remember the bastard who made me suffer. He was only with me a year, but he hurt me much more than Naraku did. Much, much more. So, now I have to write it down in my diary to get it out. I have to give the diary to Inuaysha, so he can understand... And I have to calm down._

* * *

Oooh. One more chapter. I just now posted the first chapter. I like to be ahead, just incase I lose my inspiration to write a story... Well, I hope ya'll like this! There MIGHT be a... Nevermind. I can't tell ya till next chapter. Sorry! 

**Kohara InuYashafan Takahashi-** Ah... no, there's a third one coming. That's the ending, and I don't think it'll be too happy. Perhaps bittersweet, but not happy... -evil grin- I'd tell you, but you'd have to persuad me to...

_**I think** 90** reviews sounds reasonable for this... Don't you?**_

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


	10. Memory Overload

**Summary:** It's hard to imagine things ever coming up when you're down, and vice verse. That's what Kagome Higurashi told herself years ago. Now she's stuck on the bottom, once again. Even though she has to tell herself that things will get better, she highly doubts that they can. The best things to her have been jerked away, once again, and dangled above her head to taunt her.

Rated M for death, depressing material, and foul language...

"Talking"  
_Flashbacks  
Song Lyrics (centered)_

**Best of Us  
**Chapter 10: Memory Overload

Perhaps there is such a thing as happiness. It won't come to you naturally, like many people believe. You have to work at it. Many people work at it without knowing it, and they're happy. Some people don't realize that it's something to be earned, and never get it. Then there are the few people who don't even know how to work on becomming happy.

I think that I'm no longer in that group...

- - -

_"Kagome, do you remember me?" A voice in my mind asks._

_No, I don't remember you. What's your name?_

_"You'll remember soon enough. How does the fire feel against your skin?"_

_You're an arsonist, aren't you?_

_"Yes, I am."_

_Well, why did you involve me in your work for a while? Why did you keep me around you for a period in time?_

_"All will be revealed soon."_

_What if I don't want it to be revealed? What if I want to be ignorant? Ignorance **is** bliss..._

_"Ignorance is stupidity. Grow up. You'll know."_

_How'd you get my skin to feel like it was burning?_

_"It was burning. You can't see the flames."_

_Am I hallucenating?_

_"No. You're just experiencing something that you thought you could escape from."_

_Will you leave me alone? I have a child to pick up from school. I need my body to do it._

_"He can wait."_

_You know his gender. How?_

_"I am using your body. I'm freezing it from moving, and I'm speaking to you in your mind. How do you think? I can see your memories."_

_Will you leave? I don't want you knowing my memories. It's bad enough that my husband knows some._

_"You don't want me to restore what we had together?"_

_Ignorance is bliss, I told you. Just leave me alone. I'd rather suffer from these nightmares than remember. Besides, what I do remember is bad enough. I don't need more._

_"Wait until you realize what you've done with me..."_

_What?_

_"Now you're curious, aren't you?"_

_No shit, sherlock. Now, what are you talking about?_

_"You'll find out when I remove the spell."_

_Spell? What spell?_

_"You had a spell placed on your mind many years ago. The memories that you experienced were subdued, just as long as you didn't cross a boundary."_

_Boundary? What'd I do?_

_"Your husband may know..."_

_Leave Inuyasha out of this. If I have a past to deal with, you deal with me. My family won't be brought into this._

_"What grade is Hainyu in?"_

_Seventh. Now leave me alone. I have to pick him up._

Just like that, the voice in my head is gone. I sigh then grab my keys to go out to the car. I hesitate for a moment then pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Sango, it's Kagome. Can you get Hainyu from school? I can't at the moment. I'm kinda scared of my driving..." I tell her.

"Yah, sure... Kagome, lay off the tea. That stuff is addicting, and you know it... Hey, can he stay over?" She asks me.

"Sure."

"I'm serious about coming off the tea." I smile then hang up the phone. Chai Tea isn't addicting. It's just delicious, that's all... Wait, am I defending a drink? Woah. I must be more tired than I thought.

I sit down in my chair and begin to write things down.

( Open Diary Entry )

_Kaylee was the best of us. She's gone. My child was going to be the best of us, but it died too..._

_Now Hainyu is the only thing that Inuyasha and I have. There are problems growing, and I can feel the tension. No one else is_ _even aware of it, though. It's all in my mind... I just have to keep this away from my family. I can't risk losing the last child I have given birth to..._

_Memories are hard to accept. Mainly the new, devistating ones. There's someone else in my past. Someone worse than Naraku. Much worse. He's been speaking to me through my mind. I think he has hypnosis powers. If only I could tell when he was coming, I'd be able to put a barrier around myself to keep him away._

_I guess it doesn't matter. I have a bad past, and I have to get those people away from me. I have to get these bad people away from me in order to move on..._

_Looking at all the people I have to deal with, I feel like laughing. No wonder I stopped talking. I was so traumatized. I don't think I even realized the gravity of it until I had to lose my family to them..._

My body stiffens as memories suddenly come rushing back to me. I feel my hand shaking as I struggle to put my pen back to use. Finally, the memories come to a halt. The only one who understands it is my busy pen...

_I don't remember his name... I was only hanging around him for a year. Maybe a year and a half. A lot less time than I was with Naraku. A lot more conflicts there..._

_He had silver hair with black tips. His eyes were purple. When he got really mad at me, or anyone else, he would rub between his eyes and then his eyes would be red. _

_What did he do? Everything. He showed me things that I shouldn't have seen. He convinced me that things were okay when they weren't. He controlled my life, when he knew that I didn't want to be controlled._

_At one point, he had convinced me that killing people would bring me satisfaction from my pain that Naraku caused. Like a fool, I believed him. I was desperate to think that something would erease the pain..._

_It didn't. It just added to my nightmares..._

( Close Diary Entry )

So, ignorance is bliss. I wish I were ignorant right now. I don't want to know my past. I want to forget it and move on. I want the bliss that everyone desires... Does that mean that my chances of happiness are completely ruined right now? If I'm no longer ignorant, then does that mena that I can never be happy?

Perhaps this would be a good time to talk to Inuyasha and let him be my therapist again...

* * *

Sequal: **Best of Life  
**_Ignorance is bliss. Bliss is what we all desire. That's the conclusion Kagome Higurashi came up with after realizing thatshe has more of a bad history. Now she has to deal with this on her own. There's no way her family can get dragged down into this again._

* * *

So, what did you all think? I hope you liked it. This story was supposed to be longer, but I started getting frustrated with finals going on. I got so mad that I started condensing the chapters and just skipping some of the things. I had to get rid of two chapters due to a problem with me revealing something too soon. I was too lazy to go back and fix the few chapters, so I just... yah... I'm talkative tonight!

And I'm cold. Don't forget that.

So, would you all like a third story? It'll be the last time for me to mess up their lives... Well, not mess up... Perhaps intensify is the right word...

Oh, Chai Tea is very good. The flavor is addicting, though! I'm in love with it, though. Annnd... I'll have the third one out sometime. I'm working on three stories (including the sequal), and I don't know when I'll have time for it...

**- Bipolar Tangerine**


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